At least one pair of eyes. Your doll will probably come with “random” eyes, so it’s not a bad idea to a pair you like.

Shoes made for your doll’s feet. Each company is different, so check sizes carefully.

An outfit. You can sew it, if you like!

Maintenance supplies:

Magic Eraser. This is a must-have for cleaning stains off resin dolls. It can also remove your doll's face-up and shouldn't be used on dipped dolls, as it may remove color.

Strong glue. Just in case you drop the doll and a finger breaks, you’ll need glue for repairs.

Mack’s silicone ear plugs. These ear plugs are softer than putty and come out in one piece. They are perfect for holding the doll’s eyes in place.

Dr. Scholl’s Moleskin Plus. You’ll need this for making a wig cap. Cut several small strips, remove the adhesive backing, and place them horizontally across your doll’s head cap. This will keep your doll’s wig from slipping, and it won’t tear hair out of your wigs. Use it for sueding your doll, too. (I'll cover this later.) You can also use a low-temperature hot glue gun.

Aileen’s Fast Grab Tacky Glue. Use this if your doll loses her eyelashes.

Ball-Jointed Dolls for Beginners - Sueding Your Doll

Written by Alison Rasmussen

Does your new ball-jointed beauty kick you or fall over when she should be posing? Sueding might fix your problems! Sueding adds friction between the ball and socket to give your doll a little more stability and control when she stands and poses. Also, if your doll has body blushing, you should consider sueding. Sueding’s extra layer helps protect the color from wear.

I need to credit where credit is due. I learned this no-burn method from Pam of Dollovely at the San Diego BJD Convention in December last year. I am so thankful for this technique!

I suede my doll’s hips, knees, ankles, shoulders, elbows and neck. You will need to remove your doll’s head, but should be able to complete the job without restringing. The moleskin adheres to the socket part of your doll’s joint. We’ll suede half of the joint at a time.

First, cut a half-circle about the size of the joint you want to suede.

Then, cut pie slices from the center of the circle nearly to the edge of the circle, but don’t cut all the way to the edge. This way, the moleskin will lie flat in the the socket.

Remove the adhesive backing and adhere it inside the socket, being careful not to block the canal through which the elastic runs. Try to keep the moleskin below the outside edge so it isn’t visible on the outside. You can always peel it off and stick it down again if you need to.

Repeat with another half (or quarter) circle, as needed, till the entire socket is filled. Then, allow the ball to fit back into the socket, and it will push the moleskin into place. You’ll feel the difference immediately.

If you don’t like the effect, you can easily peel off the moleskin and cut smaller or larger pieces, as desired. It doesn’t leave residue and is easily removed.

Ball-Jointed Dolls for Beginners: Body Blushing

Written by Alison Rasmussen

I love the realistic look of BJDs. Adding a body blush enhances a doll’s body sculpt and is an easy way to customize your doll and make her your own. The technique is straightforward: add several shades of pastels to the valleys of the body and blend.

Supplies:

A resin sealer. I prefer Mr. Superclear for larger dolls. You can also use Testor’s DullCote, but this attracts dirt pretty easily, and I prefer this for smaller surfaces (face-ups and smaller dolls).

Chalk pastels. Most will work, but I don’t recommend square scrapbooking chalks. These are flaky and don’t blend well.

Several brushes. I use a large round brush (size 6) and a small angled brush (size 1/8).

Magic Eraser

Preparation:

Before you begin, remove your doll’s head. Gently clean her body using a Magic Eraser. Make sure she is free from stains. (The model in the photos is Cookie by Island Doll. You can click on the photos to get to the full-size versions on Flickr.)

Technique:

Prime the doll by spraying her with sealer. This will make her a little tacky so the pastels will stick. Let dry, and repeat on the other side. Make sure you have plenty of ventilation, following the directions on the can. I walk around the doll, using a light coat to prevent flagging (or drips).

Choose the palette based on the doll’s face-up. I use three or four colors, including white (for blending), a color just a shade darker than the doll’s skin tone, one close to the doll’s cheek color, and one that is similar to her lip or eyeshadow color. I make a palette on scrap paper.

To apply, begin with the color closest to her skin tone. I start at the torso. Remember, you’re only applying color to the dips (valleys) in her body. Using the angled brush, apply a bit of the color to her belly button, and blend with the large round brush.

Repeat with the next darkest shade, working in layers, blending each layer as you go. ...

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